The Perfect Gift
by AKS
Summary: It's Christmas and Syaoran has nothing for Sakura. Uh oh...and Li ends up in the hospital! @_@ S+S
1. It's Christmas Already?

AN: This is dedicated to Ruki Heartilly.  
  
I'm wrote this as a Christmas special!  
  
PS: Merry Christmas!  
  
  
  
Sakura yawned as she sat in her desk. She was tired. Tomoyo slid into the desk next to Sakura.  
  
"Ohayo, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said.  
  
"Ohayo." Sakura yawned again and slumped forwards on her desk. She had made an effort to get up early today.  
  
Syaoran sat in the desk behind Sakura. He motioned to Sakura, What's wrong with her?  
  
Tomoyo shrugged and reached across to tap Sakura on the shoulder. "Sakura-chan, why are you so tired?"  
  
Sakura dragged herself up from her desk. She gave Tomoyo a look that clearly said not to ask. Sakura fell back on her desk and fell back asleep.  
  
Syaoran looked at the sleeping Sakura and sweatdropped.  
  
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Syaoran was in a state of nerves. Tomoyo had told him that Sakura had stayed up all night just to make his Christmas present PERFECT. Tomoyo had emphasized on the perfect. Syaoran groaned. Christmas was tomorrow and he had nothing for Sakura. NOTHING at all.  
  
What am I going to do?! Syaoran thought. How am I going to find the perfect gift for Sakura in 24 hours?  
  
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AN: Yeah, I know that this is a short chapter, but I'm sorta racing against time here. I'm actually writing this on Christmas Day. *heheheh* 


	2. The Day Before Christmas

AN: And here's the second chapter!  
  
The Day Before Christmas  
  
  
  
  
  
Syaoran ran frantically from store to store. He had shopped basically the whole day for a gift for Sakura and he had found nothing. Syaoran groaned. His stomach was starting to hurt. On top of that, Christmas was tomorrow, and he had no present for Sakura. I am doomed, thought Syaoran. Really, really doomed.  
  
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Sakura flopped down on her bed. Her present for Syaoran was wrapped and ready to give to him tomorrow. I wonder what he got me? Sakura wondered dreamily before she fell asleep.  
  
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Syaoran went home. He had given up more or less on a present for Sakura. His stomach really hurt now. He collapsed on his bed, exhausted and troubled, and went to sleep in his school uniform.  
  
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Tomoyo was sitting in her room, working on a design for Sakura's latest battle costume. The phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
That's funny, Tomoyo thought. Must be a prank call. Tomoyo was about to hang up when the person on the other line spoke up.  
  
"Daidouji-san?"  
  
Tomoyo's eyes widened. "Hiragaziwa-san?"  
  
"How have you been?"  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: WHAHAHAHAH!!! I'm really cramming for time now! 


	3. How Could You?

"A" note: Okay fine!!!! I've given up on trying to beat time and finish this fanfic before Christmas is over. For all I know, it is over already. HA!  
  
*note to self: must cut down on the Christmas chocolate and coffee.*  
  
*heheh*  
  
And a very happy New Year to all you fanfic readers out there!*  
  
*takes a sip of my New Year's pop*  
  
  
  
How Could You?!  
  
Syaoran slept poorly that night. His stomach was killing him, and he was worried because he didn't get Sakura a present. How could I have forgotten!? He groaned and turned over in his bed. And why is my stomach hurting? I didn't eat anything bad or anything like that. Syaoran shifted once more and tried to sleep.  
  
  
  
Next morning  
  
Sakura walked into her classroom. She was early again.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" It was Tomoyo. "Ohayo."  
  
"Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura smiled brightly. She held out a brightly wrapped gift. "For you, Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo smiled as she always did. "Thank you Sakura." Tomoyo turned around, reached into her desk, and produced a perfectly wrapped gift. "And this is for you."  
  
Sakura held the present as if it were a treasure. "Dome arigatou."  
  
At that exact moment, Syaoran wandered into the classroom, looking like a complete zombie.  
  
Tomoyo looked at Syaoran and giggled. "It's like you and Syaoran-kun switched places or something, Sakura-chan."  
  
Sakura sweatdropped.  
  
Syaoran collapsed onto his desk. Tereda-sensei walked into the room.  
  
"Good morning, class."  
  
"Good morning," returned the class.  
  
Tereda-sensei strode to his desk and sat down. Then he beckoned at the door. "Class," he said. "We have an exchange student from England who will be staying with us for a while. Eriol Hiiragiziwa."  
  
At that, Eriol stepped into the room with the charm and grace he always had.  
  
"Eriol-kun?" Sakura could only gape. She hadn't expected Eriol to return. Sakura looked over to Tomoyo. Hmm, Sakura thought. Tomoyo doesn't seem surprised. Is it possible that she knew of Eriol's return beforehand?  
  
Eriol took his old seat from behind Tomoyo. Tomoyo turned around and smiled at him. He smiled back in greeting and busied himself with putting books into his desk.  
  
***************************  
  
  
  
RECESS  
  
Sakura shyly walked up to Syaoran. Her heart was pounding, and her stomach was full of butterflies.  
  
"Syaoran-kun," Sakura called. Syaoran came over to where she was standing. Was it her imagination, or did she just see a look of dread flit across Syaoran-kun's face?  
  
"Syaoran-kun," Sakura repeated. "This is for you." She held out a wrapped gift.  
  
Syaoran took the gift from Sakura. He carefully unwrapped the wrapping paper. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw his gift. A dark green scarf lay among the wrapping paper. The scarf had been handmade, and a perfectly placed wolf was stitched into the scarf. Syaoran glanced up. "Thank you, Sakura-chan. This is beautiful."  
  
Sakura was looking at him expectantly. Syaoran swallowed. This is it, thought Syaoran. If I don't tell her, she will think I got her something, and I might disappoint her.oh I'm in for it now.  
  
Syaoran took a deep breath. "I, well, didn't get you something."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
Syaoran gulped and hurried on. "It's not that I don't care about you or anything, but it's, it's just."  
  
Sakura looked at him, her pretty emerald-colored eyes slightly glimmering with tears. "I know you care, you don't care enough. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"  
  
"No, it's not like that."  
  
"Syaoran." With that, Sakura ran off.  
  
Tomoyo stood there, after having witness the whole thing. Syaoran saw her, and was glad she did not have her video camera with her. He didn't want to remember this incident at all. Tomoyo gave him a look that plainly said "You blew it: BIG TIME! How could you do this to her?" She ran after Sakura.  
  
Syaoran stared after the running figures of Sakura and Tomoyo. "Sakura."  
  
"Nice job, Romeo."  
  
Syaoran whirled around and found himself staring face to face with his ancestor, Eriol Hiiragiziwa. "Go away Hiiragiziwa. I don't need any smart remarks, especially from you. Go kiss Daidouji or something." Syaoran's stomach started to hurt, even more than it had yesterday.  
  
Eriol looked surprised at Syaoran's angry outburst. Then he sighed, resignedly. "You sure blew it."  
  
"Don't you think I knew that?" Syaoran was literally growling now.  
  
"You hurt her a lot. Sakura-chan must have worked really hard on that gift. All you've done is make her feel unwanted; like you didn't really care that you had that gift or not."  
  
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Syaoran snapped back. He really wasn't in the mood to be lectured, and of all the people, why did it have to Hiiragiziwa that witnessed what had happened.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"I don't need your pity, okay? So just don't bother me!"  
  
Syaoran stalked off, leaving Eriol staring after him in pure surprise. Eriol scratched his head. Wow. Daidouji-san is right. This guy is really stressed out.  
  
AN: How'd u guys like that?! It's considerably longer than my other chapters.  
  
Next chapter should be up by the next one or two days. 3 at the latest ^_^ 


	4. Oi, dangit! Why me?

Author's Note:  My friends, here is the next long awaited chapter!  This chapter is dedicated to Diana.  She reviewed me FOUR times!!  Way to go!  This one's for you!

**Chapter 4**

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Thoughts- /////

Change POV- ~~~~~~~~~~

            Syaoran leaned over the sink of the boy's bathroom and splashed water on his face.  His stomach hurt like hell.  He groaned and sagged against the sink. /_What the hell did I eat?/ _

Syaoran stumbled out of the bathroom. He took a few well-measured steps before he crashed into someone, sending them both flying onto the tiled floor.  

            "Oops, sorry." 

            Syaoran grimaced from his place on the floor.  He tried to look up.  His vision blurred on him.  A pair of arms encircled him and helped him off the floor.  

            "Hey, Syaoran!  Li Syaoran!"

            "Hmm?" He was a bit lightheaded now.  Someone was shaking him – he wished they would cut it out.  

            "Hey, you alright?  C'mon, no, don't-"

            Syaoran collapsed back onto the floor and blacked out.

            Takashi Yamazaki looked at the passed out Syaoran.

            /Oh boy/ thought Yamazaki.  /How am I gonna explain this? /  He put an arm around Syaoran and proceeded to drag him to the front office.

            Sakura sniffled.  "That no good, up to nothing idiot!"

            "Shh, it's okay.  I'm sure he had a reason for not getting you a present."  Tomoyo patted Sakura on the back soothingly.  

            Sakura blew her nose on a piece of tissue.  "I hate him," she announced suddenly.  

            "Nani?"

            "I, HATE, HIM!"

            Tomoyo grabbed some more tissues and placed them in Sakura's hands.  She kept her mouth shut, fearing that she might say something unwise and make the situation worse.

            "You know what?" Sakura said.

            "Hm?"

            "I wish he would get drop dead!"  

            Sakura took the tissues and blew her nose.  She ran the cold water, and splashed some on her face.  "That moron," Sakura sniffled.  "I'm never gonna forgive him.  I thought he cared."

            Tomoyo just handed her some more tissue.  

            Yamazaki stopped in front of the office.  The unconscious Syaoran slumped down beside him.  /Dang. /

            The secretary at the front desk looked up.  "Yes?"

            Yamazaki grinned good-naturedly.  He pointed to Syaoran, whom by now had fallen to the floor.  The secretary gasped and flew out of her seat, calling to the other teachers for help. Teachers came out.  Yamazaki looked at the crowd of teachers and the unconscious Syaoran.  /Why do these things always happen to me? /

            "Class, as you all know, today is the day we will be going skating."  Terada paused as the class erupted into cheers.  The students leapt from their seats and ran to get the equipment.  

Tomoyo noticed Yamazaki slip quietly into the classroom.  Chiharu ran up to him, chattering happily, and he smiled at her as if nothing was wrong, but Tomoyo could see something was bothering him.  She watched as Yamazaki gave Sakura a fleeting glance before heading over to Eriol.  They started to talk.  Tomoyo made her way towards the two boys.  As she got nearer, she could bits of their conversation.

"Syaoran…"

"Dangit!…hurt!"

Tomoyo began to get worried.  She glanced at Eriol.  He looked thoughtful.  Tomoyo joined him and asked, "What happened?"

Yamazaki looked a bit guilty.  "Well, you know, I was taking a bathroom break and I was walking down the long corridor to the men's washroom when I happened to glance over at some EXQUISITE artwork and I was browsing slowly.  I met my band teacher on the way, and we chatted about new music.  Then I remembered my task of going to the----

"YAMAZAKI!"

Yamazaki looked up to see a glaring Tomoyo and a mildly amused Eriol.  

            *sweatdrop*

"Okay.  So I went to the bathroom and crashed into Syaoran-kun.  He looked ill.  Really sick."  He nodded for emphasis.  

"And?" prompted Tomoyo.

"Then he passed out on me!"

"Pardon?"  Eriol looked surprised.  

"The secretary called the hospital and so now he's in the hospital."

Eriol and Tomoyo looked at each other.  "Who's going to tell Sakura?" asked Tomoyo.

Yamazaki looked away.  When he glanced back, he saw a Tomoyo with a sly look on her face and an Eriol with a look that would make the Chesire Cat from Alice in the Wonderland jealous.  Realization dawned on him.  

"Oh no.  Nope! Not in a million years!"

His pleas were unheard as he was pushed towards Sakura.  

"OI, DANGIT!  WHY ME????!!!!!"

Authors's Note:  REVIEW!  PLEASE!!! 


	5. There Goes My Dignity

AN: I was so bad *hangs head*.  I know, I know…no updating for over a year…shame…But I'm baaaaaack!!!! *and I wrote a poem too…but no one reviewed it~sob~so I took it off Ffnet* But anyways…I will be updating this fic~until Christmas~cuz that's when it's gonna be finished.  *GASP* I'm actually finishing something…*so proud*  Mwahahaahahaha~ so please please please please PLEASE R/R and C/C *which stands for Constructive Criticism* so that I'm inspired to keep on updating…*yeah, I know that's blackmail…but hey ^^* Read and enjoy``

Chapter 5 – There Goes My Dignity 

Disclaimer:  Syaoran belongs to CLAMP…so does Sakura…and Eriol…and Tomoyo…and Kero-chan…and any other character I didn't mention…BUT THE PLOT IS MINE!!! ALL MINE!!! MWAHHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!!

            _"Sakura."  Syaoran held out a hand to Sakura.  He couldn't see her face very well; shadows hid her eyes, and she was too far away from him.  _

_            Syaoran reached out for Sakura, or tried to.  His arms didn't seem to be long enough.  She turned away from him.  _

_            "Sakura."  Again, Syaoran reached for her.  Why didn't she come to him?  Why did she just stand there with her back to him?  Syaoran gritted his teeth in frustration.  _

_            Sakura turned around, and Syaoran saw her face covered in tears.  He peeled his feet off the ground and ran to her, placing his arms carefully around her.  _

_            "Sakura, Sakura," he murmured into her soft, hazel hair.  "Don't cry.  It'll be okay.  I promise."  _

_            She stiffened in his arms, and with one swift blow, punched him in the stomach.  Syaoran's eyes widened suddenly, and he fell to one knee, clutching his stomach.  "Why?"_

_            She looked at him with heartbroken eyes.  "You promised," she spat mockingly.  "You promised that you loved me, will love me forever.  And yet you don't seem to care for me at all."  Fresh tears ran anew from her eyes and she made no effort to wipe them.  _

_            "No.  Sakura, you don't understand."  Syaoran groaned as he tried to stand up.  _

_            "I understand," Sakura said, chokingly.  "I understand."  She turned and fled into the darkness…_

            Syaoran woke with a start, and clutched his stomach in pain from the sudden movement.  _All a dream, _he thought.  He carefully hoisted himself upright, and realized that he was in an unrecognizable environment.  He rubbed his eyes, and squinted.  Funny machines surrounded him.  _No, not funny.  Dangerous looking machines,_ he corrected himself.  

            "Ah.  Li Syaoran.  Awake at last.  Did you sleep well?" 

            Syaoran almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice.  He whipped his head around, and came nose to chest with a man.  He looked up and saw a stethoscope around the neck of a man with glasses.  

            "I…you…what?"

            The man chuckled good-naturedly.  "You're in the hospital."

            "I…me…HOSPITAL?"  Syaoran never got sick…or he never recalled getting sick.  Hospitals were as foreign to him as French.  "What am I doing in a HOSPITAL?"

            "You passed out."  

            Syaoran paled at this.  He felt like crawling under the white sheets of the cot and disappearing.  This was even worse than that time when Sakura's older brother caught him trying to take the cards from Sakura.  _I PASSED out?_  He mentally groaned.  If Eriol, or Tomoyo, or ANYONE found out, they would never let him forget it.  _I, who belonged to the great Li Clan, I passed out?_  This was too much for Syaoran.  He flopped back down into the bed. 

The doctor checked the chart at the foot of Syaoran's bed.  "How are you feeling?"

            "Morbid."

            The doctor chuckled again.  "You seem fine now.  Must have been stress that caused you to pass out."  The doctor wrote something on the clipboard and put it back.  "I'm keeping you in the hospital for a few more hours."

            Syaoran nodded, a little grateful.  

            The doctor made his way out of the room, and paused before stepping out.  He reached into the depths of his coat pocket and brought out a green item.  "This was on you when you came in.  I took it off when you were admitted."  He handed Syaoran the scarf that Sakura had painstakingly made for him.  Syaoran reached out with slightly shaking hands and grasped the soft, warm scarf.

The doctor smiled slightly and left, leaving Syaoran alone with his thoughts.  

Syaoran touched the silver wolf stitched on the scarf.  He sighed, a bit sadly.  _I am stupid.  I didn't realize how much she means to me._

_Sakura, I'm so sorry…_

_            ** ** ** **_

AKS: *Hoi* "What a chapter…Syaoran you dumbo…now you know why you should never procrastinate." 

Syaoran: *glare* "Shaddup.  You made me look like a wuss."

Eriol: *howls* "The brave Li heir is a wuss." *starts to choke*

Sakura: *sweatdrop* "Guys…"

Syaoran: *glare* "I'm not a wuss."

AKS: "Don't worry…in the next chapter you can try and regain any bit of dignity you might have left." 

Syaoran: "Why you lil…"

                


	6. Truth Without Tact

**AN: This chapter is more like a "while you were away…this and this happened" kind of fic…^_^ *heh* Please r/r ^^ Oh yeah…a friend of mine brought this to my attention *guiltily* ^_^;;;; It's Takashi…not Yamazaki…Yamazaki's his last name *oops…* **

**Oh yes…HAPPY NEW YEAR!  This is my Christmas gift to all those who reviewed!**

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Chapter 5b – Meanwhile… 

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            Takashi stumbled forwards as Eriol and Tomoyo let him go.  He looked nervously back at them, and then at Sakura, who was at her desk piling her books into a neat stack.  

            "Sakura-san," Takashi started.  "Um…hi."  

            "Yes?" Sakura looked up at him, and Takashi swallowed, mentally berating Eriol and Tomoyo for putting him up to this.

            "Something happened and, um, you see, Syaor –"

            "Class!  Please line up now.  You don't want to be the last class at the rink do you?"  Terada-sensei stood at the door, laughing slightly at the excitement of the class.  

            Sakura gazed curiously at Takashi, but before she could speak, Terada-sensei came over and herded them over to join the other students.  

            _Tell me on the bus._ Sakura mouthed to Takashi.  She slipped ahead with Tomoyo.  Takashi sighed and allowed himself to be dragged by Chiharu out the door.

********^^*******^^******^^*********   

            "Nineteen, 20, 21…" Terada-sensei counted under his breath.  He frowned and quickly scanned his attendance sheet.  "That's strange."  He raised his eyes and examined the crowd of students on the bus.  "Where's Li Syaoran?" 

                                    ********^^*******^^******^^*********

 Tomoyo got on the bus and chose an empty seat.  Sakura had gone off to the washroom and Tomoyo was left alone for the moment.  The loud laughter of her classmates was giving her headache.  She closed her eyes tightly, and leaned back into her seat.  A pale hand reached up and reached up to rub her eyes.    

Eriol had slipped into the empty seat behind them, and now he leaned forward, putting his head next to Tomoyo's.  "Are you alright?" 

Tomoyo's violet eyes immediately opened.  "Just tired," she said with a smile.  "I'm more worried about how Sakura's going to take the news."  

Eriol nodded.  He, too, was worried about Sakura's reaction, but he was more worried about Syaoran.

Takashi and Chiharu had taken the seat in front of Tomoyo.  Chiharu was preoccupied, talking to Naoko.  Takashi turned around.  "Please, Tomoyo – san.  I had nothing to do with it!  Can't you tell her?" 

Tomoyo said nothing.  She had closed her eyes again, and the pounding in her head threatened to explode.  Eriol gazed at Tomoyo before answering Takashi.  "Nobody loves to be the messenger of bad news."  He smiled, like a shark to a fish.  "What are you so afraid of?" 

Takashi stole a quick look at Chiharu.  She wasn't paying attention at the moment. He leaned in, as if telling a secret. "Because sometimes, it seems that something's not right with her, if you know what I mean."  He glanced nervously at Tomoyo, and at Eriol.  "No offense or anything of course," he said quickly, "but it's like she knows why some weird event is happening.  Ever hear of the expression 'Don't kill the bearer of bad news?'  What if she's some sort of sorceress and she decides to cast a spell or do something to me?"

_That's partly true…_Eriol resisted the urge to smile.  __

Tomoyo gave Takashi one long careful look.  _I wonder how long he's suspected?_

Takashi hit his head on the seat of the bus in frustration – a never seen emotion in Takashi.  "Why do I have to be the one to break the news to Sakura – san?"

"Break what to me?"  A way to familiar voice asked?

            Three horrified pairs of eyes stared up at a pair of emerald eyes.

            "Break what to me?"

            Sakura sat down next to Tomoyo and glanced around.  She hadn't seen Syaoran anywhere back in the school.  She even called his name into the boys' washrooms.  Worry crept into her heart.  Syaoran was nowhere to be seen on the packed bus.  

            "Tomoyo – chan, have you seen Syaoran – kun?"  Sakura twisted her head around and faced Tomoyo.  "Tomoyo?"  

            "There's something I have to tell you, Sakura – chan." Tomoyo looked at the pleated material of her skirt.

            The bus left the school.  

            "Syaoran, he," Tomoyo began.

            "Syaoran's in the hospital," Takashi blurted out.

            _So much for being tact, _Eriol thought.

            "What?!"  Sakura fought to keep calm.  "What do you mean?!"

            "Sakura, Syaoran had a stomachache, and he went to the hospital." Tomoyo could see the panic rising in Sakura's eyes.  "I'm sure he's fine." She tried to console Sakura.  "It'll be okay."

            Tears welled up and slowly slid down Sakura's face.  "I wished that he died." 

Tomoyo glanced at Eriol.  

Eriol patted Sakura on the back and handed her his handkerchief.  "It's not your fault."  

Sakura took the cloth, and the tears came faster.  


	7. Of Bus Rides and Ice Skates

**AN: Merry Christmas! It's almost 2005! Here's Chapter7, for those _still_** **reading this the ever-faithful. I salute you, and am eternally grateful for your patience and loyalty. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: The usual of course. **

**Chapter 7 - Of Bus Rides and Ice Skates**

No matter how hard Tomoyo tried, Sakura was inconsolable. She was in a state of semi-hysteria, fresh tears soaking Eriol's already dripping handkerchief.

Takashi spent the entire bus ride in the corner of the seat, having been banished there by Chiharu. Eriol stayed silent, looking out the window occasionally.

When the bus finally rolled into the parking lot of the skating rink, Eriol sighed in relief. It had been the longest bus ride ever and he didn't care to repeat that experience again. He stood up and stretched his legs.

"Takashi. Carry this." Tomoyo dropped Sakura's bag into Takashi's arms before leading Sakura off the bus. Takashi just stared after them, not used to Tomoyo giving orders in such a cold fashion.

Eriol smirked at Takashi. "I would have been a little more tactful," he said before following the girls.

Takashi scrunched his nose. "That's right, damn it, blame the messenger."

"Watch your language!" Chiharu hit him in the back of the head.

----

"Alright, Syaoran. Looks like everything's fine now. You'll be able to leave after I fill out your charts." The doctor smiled at Syaoran before scribbling something down onto his clipboard.

"So what was wrong with me?"

"Nothing, actually. You had a case of severe stress." The doctor shrugged. "Could have happened to anyone. You're just that lucky."

"It was just stress?" Syaoran was incredulous. He fainted, landed in a hospital just because of _stress_?

"Whatever you were stressed about must have been big." The doctor finished writing and snapped the lid onto his pen. "Okay. You're free to go."

Syaoran nodded and swung his legs over the edge of the hospital bed.

"Now take it easy for a few days, and drink plenty of fluids. You'll be fine."

"Thanks."

"You welcome." The doctor left.

Syaoran dressed and signed out.

-------

Eriol checked the lace of his skate before offering his hand to Tomoyo. She took it and he pulled her up from her seat next to Sakura. "Are you ready?"

"I think I'll sit out for a bit." Sakura fiddled with her glove.

"Are you sure?" Tomoyo held out a hand. "Eriol and I will skate with you. It'll be fun."

"It's okay." Sakura waved them off. "Go. I'll skate later."

Tomoyo gave Sakura another stare before walking onto the ice with Eriol.

"Do you think she's going be okay?" Eriol turned so he was facing Tomoyo. Her face was tinged pink from the cold and she kept on adjusting her scarf around her neck.

Tomoyo shrugged. "I honestly don't know. She was never like this and then Syaoran came and look at her. She's an utter wreck right now." She sighed. "She'll be fine if Syaoran's fine."

Eriol looked pointedly at Sakura on the sidelines. "She doesn't look very fine right now."

"What?" Tomoyo whipped her head around. Sakura sat hunched over on the bench, gloved hands linked together.

Tomoyo skated off the ice and knelt in front of the downcast Sakura. "Sakura? What's wrong?" Sakura stared forlornly at the ice.

"He promised to skate with me." Sakura's lower lip trembled as she struggled not to cry.

"Oh Sakura." She hugged Sakura. "He'll be alright. How could he not?"

Sakura only pressed her head into Tomoyo's shoulder.

-------

Syaoran was wandering the streets. He distinctly remembered having a certain distaste for those odd folk who wandered the street aimlessly, but now he saw the appeal. He didn't have to think about where he was going, or what he was doing, or anything at all. He was just wandering. It was oddly comforting. And it had started to snow. He figured that if he wasn't sick before, he'd probably catch pneumonia or something along those lines. He was still without a present for Sakura, but that wasn't the problem now. The problem now was figuring out how to show Sakura that, yes he does love her.

So here he was, wandering the streets all by himself after being discharged from the hospital. It was snowing, it was cold and he was pretty lost. Scratch the pretty part. He was lost, damnit, and had no idea how to show Sakura that she meant the world to him.

And then it hit him. Actually a snowball hit him, but the idea hurt way less. He looked around for the offender, and swore under his breath before marching off to carry out his idea.

_----------_

_Syaoran: _I still look like a wuss. Why am I the wuss?

_Takashi: _And why do I get picked on so much in this chapter? Those are major grounds for mental, emotional and physical abus-

_Chiharu:_ Shut up. You deserve it. You have no tact.

_Takashi:_ sputters WhaT?! No tact? You're blunter than a blunt…uh…blunt…

Merry Christmas…


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